THEY were on a roll in Wybunbury on Saturday - all 162 competitors keen to be crowned the village Fig Pie Wakes champion.

In the end the honour went to villager Adam Mellor, with 13-year-old Lee McAnulty taking the junior title.

The unique pie rolling championships began nearly 200 years ago, but was suspended for many years after a local was murdered on the day.

But the competition rolled back into action about 15 years ago and now every summer the high rollers are in action - all determined to send their pies farther than anyone else.

The competitors make their pies to a special recipe, bought at the village post office as their entry ticket.

Jane Dare, a member of the organising committee, said: 'As usual, competition was very keen with all the competitors roared on by a huge crowd. The contestants came from a wide area, but both the senior and junior winners both live in the village.'

As part of the wakes the famous leaning tower of St Chad's Church was open to the public. More than 250 people took the opportunity to have a bird's-eye view of the village.

There was also a morris dancing display, and a Polish group, Biesiada, many of them descendants of families who were refugees at a wartime camp at nearby Doddington.

They composed a special song for the day, Wybunbury Fair, sung to the tune of Scarborough Fair.

The Red Lion pub beat their rivals from the Swan in a tug-of-war match, and the day also included numerous charity stalls, a tombola, and a tour of Wybunbury Moss which is noted for its rare plants and insect life.

Jane said: 'The day is a real community day with the Tower Preservation Trust, the village school, WI, village hall committee, the chapel and the two pubs all helping in the organisation.'